Head-rest pad



(No Model.) 1

s. D. MQKELVEY.

D A P T v E R D A E .H.

No. 587,224. Patented July 2.7, 1897.

m man: '27: w. moraumo. wasnmm'on, D. c.

UNITED STATES .ATENT FFrcE.

STEWART DIXON MOKELVEY, OF CANTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO FRANK E.

CASE, OF SAME PLACE.

I HEAD-REST PAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 587,224, dated July 27, 1897.

Application filed October 103 1894. Serial No. 525,537. (No model.) I

and has for its obj ect'to improve the construction thereof, as hereinafter described.

The invention consists in the novel features pointed out in the claim appended to the specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a yielding pad embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the pad reversed in position, the bottom or under side being uppermost. Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing the interior construction of the pad and illustrating a method of inflating and sealing the same. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing a part of the removable pad-covering and its draw-string.

The reference-numeral 1 indicates a hollow pad which is preferably made of molded rubber and of oblong or oval shape. The upper side 2 is depressed at the center, as at 2, to

and the under side 3 may be similarly depressed, as at 3 to facilitate the attachment of the pad to any suitable support. The two sides '2 and 3 of the pad are connected by a bridge 4, the ends of which are joined in the process of molding to the portions 2 and 3, as shown in Fig. 3. The office of this bridge 4 is to secure the sides of the pad in their depressed positions for in flation and also to render the pad less elastic or yielding at its central portion.

The bridge 4 may be of cylindrical or any other desired form and may be made of rubber hose cut to the required length and molded in place. \Vhen thus made, the bridge should be transversely perforated, as indicated at 5, to permit the air to enter the interior of the bridge and thus equalize the air-pressure on the inner and outer sides of the bridge. I form an annular groove 6 on the under side of thepad near its outer edge to receive the gathered or plaited edge of a removable cover 7. This cover may be of plush, leather, silk, or'other fabric, and is cut of substantially circular form, so that when its edge is plaited or gathered it will overlap the annular groove 6 and be retained by a stout cord or draW-strin g 8, which adapts itself to the groove 6 and lies therein after its ends 9 are tied or knotted.

It will be apparent that any suitable pneu matic devices might serve the purpose of inflating and permanently sealing the hollow pad, but the method which I will now describe for inflating and sealing the pad when necessary I have found especially well adapted for the purpose.

In the process of molding the pad and before it is permanently closed a small piece of uncured rubber l4. orequivalent material is attached at any convenient point to the inner wall of the pad. To fill the pad with air, I employ a syringe-bulb 10, provided with a conducting-tube 11, having a small hypodermic needle 12 attached to its outer end, as shown in Fig. 3. The bulb 10 is provided with an air-check valve 13. The needle 12 is then inserted through the wall of the pad so that it will pass through the piece of uncured rubber 14, and by squeezing the bulb 10 the pad is inflated to the required degree of firmness, after which the needle is withdrawn, and simultaneously the piece of soft rubber 14 is flrmly squeezed by the fingers, thus closing the needle-opening therein and tightly sealing the pad."

Under some circumstances it may be preferable to substitute water .or other fluid as the inflating agent for the pad in lieu of air. It is obvious that such a substitution would fall within the scope of my invention.

The yielding pad as thus described is adapted for use with any suitable supporting arm, to which it may be secured in any suit able manner.

What I claim is-= An inflated and sealed pad formed on its upper side with a central depression, and an In testimony whereof I have hereunto set annular groove, in combination with an inmy hand in the presence of two subscribing teriorly-arranged bridge secured to and re- Witnesses.

taining the depressed portion in position, and STEWART DIXON MCKELVEY. 5 a removable cover having a drawing-cord Vitnesses:

lying in the annular groove, substantially as F. B. HENDERSON,

described. F. A. ZIMMERI. 

